Today is the start of Disability History Month, and to celebrate this we want to share our own  inspiring history.

February 1982

A public meeting was held for disabled people to establish service priorities and a steering group for a new organisation, which would later become The Greenbank Project.

September 1982 – Big Push 1

Gerry Kinsella pushed his wheelchair 874 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise £30,000 which enabled plans to move forward to establish a charity and a facility which put the needs of disabled people first.

December 1982

Permission was given by Liverpool City Council and the Rathbone family to make the former Children’s School of Rest and Recovery building on Greenbank Lane ‘fit for purpose’ for use by the new organisation.

The Greenbank Project registered as a charity and became a legal entity.

September 1983

The official opening of Greenbank’s renovated building by Mr BL Rathbone.

1983

Greenbank starts to offer training courses for disabled and non-disabled students.

1985

A Consortium of Co-operatives was established and premises were secured in Edwards Lane, Speke to combine skills training with the practical construction and sale of products including wheelchairs (Chevron) and print services.

1987

Greenbank purchased its premises on Greenbank Lane.

1989 – Big Push 2

Vincent Ross and Gerry Kinsella push a tandem wheelchair from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for the construction of a sports and independent living centre (it was to take a further 10 years to realise this dream).

1997

Greenbank secures funding from Sport England towards the construction of a Sports Academy for disabled people.

September 1999

Official opening of Greenbank Sports Academy by HRH Princess Anne.

2000

£2.4 million funding secured from National Lottery Charities Board, European Regional Development Fund, North West Development Fund and charitable trusts to refurbish Greenbank’s training building.

November 2004

Official re-opening of Greenbank College by disabled artist Alison Lapper.

2005

Funding changes mean that Greenbank College can now develop and offer courses to 16 to 18 year olds.

2012

Greenbank Sports Academy benefits from increased coverage of disability sport via London 2012 Olympics and secures a 3 year funding package from The James’s Place Foundation to finance the Choices for Disability Sport Programme.